# CVE-2026-25996: Inspektor Gadget uses unsanitized ANSI Escape Sequences In `columns` Output Mode

> Attackers can inject ANSI escape sequences into operator terminals via malicious container events, potentially causing terminal manipulation or confusion.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 12 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-34r5-6j7w-235f, GO-2026-5068

## What is CVE-2026-25996?

CVE-2026-25996 is a medium-severity vulnerability in inspektor-gadget, published on 12 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Inspektor Gadget is a set of tools and framework for data collection and system inspection on Kubernetes clusters and Linux hosts using eBPF. String fields from eBPF events in columns output mode are rendered to the terminal without any sanitization of control characters or ANSI escape sequences. Therefore, a maliciously forged – partially or completely – event payload, coming from an observed container, might inject the escape sequences into the terminal of ig operators, with various effects. The columns output mode is the default when running ig run interactively.

Weakness: CWE-150 (Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-25996?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget` | Go | All versions | 0.49.1 |
| `github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget` | Go | All versions | 0.49.1 |
| `github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget` | Go | All versions | 0.49.1 |

Products: Linuxfoundation Inspektor Gadget.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-25996?

Upgrade github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget to 0.49.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-25996 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-25996 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in inspektor-gadget

- [CVE-2026-24905](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24905/): Inspektor Gadget has a Command Injection vulnerability in Makefile.build (medium 6.6)
- [CVE-2026-31890](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31890/): Inspektor Gadget: Tracing Denial of Service via Event Flooding (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-25996 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-25996 is a medium-severity vulnerability in inspektor-gadget, published on 12 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-25996 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.49.1
- github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.49.1
- github.com/inspektor-gadget/inspektor-gadget (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.49.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25996/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25996/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-25996
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-25996
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-25996

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25996/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.